Bear visits backyard

A Commerce family woke up Thursday to find a black bear in their backyard, according to Steve Nichols, director of Jackson County Emergency Services.

The family, whose home is in Eagle Trace subdivision near Georgia Highway 98, called the Jackson County Sheriff's Office about 8 a.m. to report the bear, Nichols said.

The family described the bear as larger than a big dog. It was last seen heading into the woods near the house.

Deputies responded to the home, but the bear was already long gone, Chief Deputy David Cochran said.

Rangers from the state Department of Natural Resources also responded and reminded residents to keep all their trash covered and out of reach of bears.

Black bear sightings in Northeast Georgia are not unheard of during the late spring and summer months, when the bears come down from the mountains to look for food and to establish their own territories, said DNR spokeswoman Melissa Cummings.

"They're certainly not going to turn down any meals that are available to them," Cummings said. "Their goal is not to hurt us. They are solely interested in their search for food and territory."

No other Jackson County residents reported bear sightings to the sheriff's office recently, but last November a couple driving south on Interstate 85 near Jefferson hit and killed a bear that was trying to cross the highway at night.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story included the wrong subdivision of the bear sighting.